Esther Vliegenthart

Sarah Esther Vliegenthart

Children with autism are often taught they have to adjust to our world and perceptions, because they play, communicate and take things in differently. As a mum, I have been experiencing that 'different' isn't always easy, but can be beautiful if you keep an open mind to it. Like the poet Hans Andreus beautifully expresses in his poem: "You are so beautifully different than I am, no more or less, but just beautifully different, I would never want you any differently different." I was looking for a book that took into account the language- and stimulus processing of children with autism. A book where children with autism can recognise themselves in the main character of the book. Where they'll say; "That's how it happens at my house too, or, that's how I play too." A book with illustrations in adapted colours, where the characters do not look the reader straight in the eye and written from their perception. That's how the story about Sarah arose. I wish all parents and children with or without autism a lot of fun reading the story about Sarah. Sarah is a squirrel who is inseparable from her toy mouse. She plays alone, but she doesn't mind. In this book, you get to know Sarah. You will see that when Sarah is offered some structure, she is able to play. This book tells a clear, short story. It has a clear start (and gives your child time to settle in and get ready at the first page, because after that the story really starts) and a very clear end. Great for children with autism, so they know their 'story time' has actually finished.